Left Behind: Part 4
Present
"Ryan?" Seth questioned. Ryan had fallen silent again.
"Huh?" Ryan looked up. He'd been staring at the ground for several long moments. His stomach was several upheavals beyond empty. Suddenly, he stood up, startling Seth and Marissa who were sitting next to him. They quickly jumped up after him, following him to the sink. Ryan stood there, studying his reflection.
"I gotta go." Ryan stated, he pivoted on his heel and marched out of the bathroom. Marissa and Seth just stood there for a second, mouths open. Snapping out of it, they went after him.
"Ryan, what the hell? Where are you going?" Marissa demanded, watching Ryan sling his backpack over his shoulder.
"I gotta go." He repeated, not looking either of them in the eye.
"Where do you think you're going to go?" Seth asked.
"I dunno. I just have to go." Ryan sighed. He really had to get out of there and away from the prying teens.
"Ryan, you're coming with us. Back to my house." Seth stated, matter of fact.
"Seth, I can't. I just…can't." Ryan said, regretfully.
"I don't understand, Ryan. Help me out here. Why can't you stay with us? Your mom is history, your dad is out of the picture, who else do you have?" Seth demanded, instantly regretting how harsh he sounded.
Ryan's eyes narrowed and his face hardened. "No one. You're right, Seth. Is that what you wanted to hear? There, I have no one. Are you happy now?" Ryan spat.
"Ryan, you know what he means." Marissa spoke up, defending Seth. "The Cohen's want to be your family. You do have someone. You have the Cohen's, you have me." Her voice had softened. "We care about you, as hard as that is to believe. The Cohen's want the best for you. You've made an impact on all of us."
Ryan finally looked at Marissa and then Seth. He could see that she meant it, they both did. God only knew why they cared, who was he? Some kid with a screwed up family. What made him so goddamned special? But the bitch of it was, Ryan really believed that they cared. So he stood there and thought about it. What option did he have? Life on the streets, eventually hooked on drugs or booze or both? Dead before his 21st birthday? What kind of future was that? Ryan was a smart kid, much smarter than even Sandy Cohen thought, he could see the writing on the wall. Ryan knew there was nothing out there for him. So why was he resisting? Pride? Fear? Distrust? Anger? It had something do with all of those and much more. So, the real question was: how could he not accept the Cohen's offer? It came with practically no strings attached, what more could he hope for?
Seth and Marissa watched as Ryan thought it over, although his face revealed nothing, as usual. He seemed to reach some sort of decision, though.
"Okay." Ryan said, looking at the floor.
"Okay? Just like that? Okay?" Seth questioned, surprised.
Ryan quirked an eyebrow. "What do you want?"
"I dunno. I just thought…I dunno." Seth shook his head, unsure of what he'd expected.
"Let's go." Ryan said, walking to the door, leaving Seth and Marissa in his wake.
"Uh, okay." Seth shook his head again, and followed him out, Marissa close behind.
Ryan lit up a cigarette, looking for the Cohen car. Marissa walked passed him, leading the way to her car. No wonder he'd thought Seth had already left, he hadn't been looking for Marissa's car.
The trio got in, Marissa and Ryan up front, Seth in back. They started the fairly long drive back to Newport, the windows down, radio blasting. A thought suddenly occurred to Marissa. Ryan hadn't finished his story, and there was no way she was just going to let him leave it at that. He hadn't explained how he'd ended up in an alley.
Marissa turned the radio off. Ryan looked over at her, he had a feeling he knew what was coming.
"So." Marissa started. "So…" Ryan answered, casting her a sidelong glance.
"So…What happened next?" Seth finished the thought.
"Well…not a whole lot. She threw me out. Again. So I left, met up with some friends. Stayed with them for a few days, but it didn't work out." Ryan said.
"So you just decided to sleep in an alley?" Seth asked, skeptical. Obviously, a little more had happened.
"No, I went back to talk to my mom. To try and get her to change her mind. Big mistake. I was there and A.J. showed up. He was beyond pissed when he saw me there. He was drunk and probably high. He, like, freaked out." Ryan paused, taking a deep breath. "He came at me. I don't remember much after that. I remember my mom screaming about something and then…darkness. And then I woke up…in an alley…and it was two days later." Ryan finished.
"Wow." Seth said, shocked at what Ryan had gone through. "I can't believe your mom would do that…" Seth trailed off, still stunned. He never would have believed such callousness existed, especially towards your own son.
"Yeah…" Marissa said, equally shocked and horrified.
"Well, it's done." Ryan forced a smile. "I'm okay, or at least I will be."
The rest of the ride was spent on frivolous conversation. They were all drained from hearing about Ryan's harrowing two weeks. Unfortunately, all three knew Ryan would have to go through it again for Seth's parents. None of them were looking forward to it.
****
"How does it feel to be back?" Seth asked, flopping on the bed.
"Uh, good." Ryan answered simply, still a little shocked that the Cohen's were not only taking him, but they wanted to be his guardians too. He'd agreed, of course. While he didn't look it, Ryan was excited. This was a chance for a whole new life, a chance to really start over and make something of himself. This kind of thing didn't even happen in the movies. Except Little Orphan Annie, that is. But that started out as a play. Broadway, right? Ryan shook himself out of his mental reverie. Seth was babbling on about how cool it was that he was living there permanently. And Ryan had to agree, it was very cool.
Seth smiled, he knew Ryan wasn't paying any attention to him, but he didn't care. Finally, an ally. Seth hadn't been this excited since…well, ever. His parents had reacted just as he thought they would. They were shocked, horrified, stunned, sickened, and a host of other adjectives….
*
"Mom! Dad! We're home!" Seth bellowed.
"Dude, can you be any louder?"
"I dunno, do you really want to find out?"
Ryan didn't get a chance to answer, both of the Cohen's came practically running out of the kitchen.
"Ryan!" They exclaimed at almost the same instant. Their stunned faces would have been comical in any other situation. Kirsten enveloped Ryan in a crushing embrace.
"Oh, my God! What happened? Are you alright? Who did this to you?" Kirsten managed to get it all out in one breath. Sandy wasn't far behind. "Where's your mother? Where have you been? Are you okay?"
Ryan held up his hands in surrender. "It looks worse than it feels, trust me."
"Sorry, Ryan, but that's not very comforting." Sandy stated. Ryan looked bad. Besides the atrocious bruise that dominated his face, he was gaunt and pale. His normally expressive crystal blue eyes had an empty, dead quality that to Sandy was the most worrisome.
Ryan just shrugged, there was nothing he could do about it.
"Oh, Ryan." Kirsten breathed. She released him but held onto his shoulders, looking him up and down. "I'm so glad you're back. We missed you around here, ya' know?" Kirsten forced a smile, her eyes glistening with tears. "Come on, let's go sit in the living room."
Sandy led the way, Kirsten not letting go of the troubled teen. They reached the living room, Ryan finally escaping Kirsten's grasp. He sat on the chair gently, his wince not escaping Sandy and Kirsten.
Ryan let out a deep breath.
"So…My mom's kind of…gone…again. And I don't think she'll be back. If you want to call Children Services I understand." Ryan stopped suddenly, not looking at the sympathetic faces of the family before him.
"Ryan, didn't Seth tell you? We'll call Children Services, but not to cut you loose. We all want you to be a part of this family. We want to be your guardians." Kirsten looked doubtful all of a sudden. "That is, if you want."
Ryan looked up, hearing the uncertainty in her voice. "Yes! Of course, I mean if you really want. I…yeah if you're sure." His own voice was uncertain.
Sandy spoke up. "Ryan, trust me on this: we're sure. And don't worry, there's nothing you could do beyond what you've already done to make us change our minds or kick you out." Sandy said, a slight smile on his face.
Ryan nodded. "Okay."
Seth was grinning madly. "This is awesome! Come on, Ryan, let's go talk about…stuff."
Ryan returned the smile. "Okay. Yeah…okay." Kirsten enveloped him in a bear hug. Sandy settled for a firm handshake. "Welcome to the family, Ryan."
*
"So, Ryan. What really happened?" Seth asked, eyeing him.
"What are you talking about?" Ryan answered, playing dumb. He should have known Seth wouldn't let it go.
"After your mom kicked you out. You said you stayed with some friends. And then what happened?"
"Seth, that is what happened. There's really nothing more to tell." Ryan looked away.
"Ah, see. I saw that. Come on, you can tell me. What happened? I know there was more. Is it Marissa? You know I won't say a word. Come on, man. We're family now. What happened?" Seth could see he'd made headway. Ryan looked at him out of the corner of his eye, conveying more with a look than anyone Seth had ever known.
"Okay, okay. Well, I left the house…"
****
Guess what? That's it for now. Stayed tuned to find out what really happened!
MacKynzie
Present
"Ryan?" Seth questioned. Ryan had fallen silent again.
"Huh?" Ryan looked up. He'd been staring at the ground for several long moments. His stomach was several upheavals beyond empty. Suddenly, he stood up, startling Seth and Marissa who were sitting next to him. They quickly jumped up after him, following him to the sink. Ryan stood there, studying his reflection.
"I gotta go." Ryan stated, he pivoted on his heel and marched out of the bathroom. Marissa and Seth just stood there for a second, mouths open. Snapping out of it, they went after him.
"Ryan, what the hell? Where are you going?" Marissa demanded, watching Ryan sling his backpack over his shoulder.
"I gotta go." He repeated, not looking either of them in the eye.
"Where do you think you're going to go?" Seth asked.
"I dunno. I just have to go." Ryan sighed. He really had to get out of there and away from the prying teens.
"Ryan, you're coming with us. Back to my house." Seth stated, matter of fact.
"Seth, I can't. I just…can't." Ryan said, regretfully.
"I don't understand, Ryan. Help me out here. Why can't you stay with us? Your mom is history, your dad is out of the picture, who else do you have?" Seth demanded, instantly regretting how harsh he sounded.
Ryan's eyes narrowed and his face hardened. "No one. You're right, Seth. Is that what you wanted to hear? There, I have no one. Are you happy now?" Ryan spat.
"Ryan, you know what he means." Marissa spoke up, defending Seth. "The Cohen's want to be your family. You do have someone. You have the Cohen's, you have me." Her voice had softened. "We care about you, as hard as that is to believe. The Cohen's want the best for you. You've made an impact on all of us."
Ryan finally looked at Marissa and then Seth. He could see that she meant it, they both did. God only knew why they cared, who was he? Some kid with a screwed up family. What made him so goddamned special? But the bitch of it was, Ryan really believed that they cared. So he stood there and thought about it. What option did he have? Life on the streets, eventually hooked on drugs or booze or both? Dead before his 21st birthday? What kind of future was that? Ryan was a smart kid, much smarter than even Sandy Cohen thought, he could see the writing on the wall. Ryan knew there was nothing out there for him. So why was he resisting? Pride? Fear? Distrust? Anger? It had something do with all of those and much more. So, the real question was: how could he not accept the Cohen's offer? It came with practically no strings attached, what more could he hope for?
Seth and Marissa watched as Ryan thought it over, although his face revealed nothing, as usual. He seemed to reach some sort of decision, though.
"Okay." Ryan said, looking at the floor.
"Okay? Just like that? Okay?" Seth questioned, surprised.
Ryan quirked an eyebrow. "What do you want?"
"I dunno. I just thought…I dunno." Seth shook his head, unsure of what he'd expected.
"Let's go." Ryan said, walking to the door, leaving Seth and Marissa in his wake.
"Uh, okay." Seth shook his head again, and followed him out, Marissa close behind.
Ryan lit up a cigarette, looking for the Cohen car. Marissa walked passed him, leading the way to her car. No wonder he'd thought Seth had already left, he hadn't been looking for Marissa's car.
The trio got in, Marissa and Ryan up front, Seth in back. They started the fairly long drive back to Newport, the windows down, radio blasting. A thought suddenly occurred to Marissa. Ryan hadn't finished his story, and there was no way she was just going to let him leave it at that. He hadn't explained how he'd ended up in an alley.
Marissa turned the radio off. Ryan looked over at her, he had a feeling he knew what was coming.
"So." Marissa started. "So…" Ryan answered, casting her a sidelong glance.
"So…What happened next?" Seth finished the thought.
"Well…not a whole lot. She threw me out. Again. So I left, met up with some friends. Stayed with them for a few days, but it didn't work out." Ryan said.
"So you just decided to sleep in an alley?" Seth asked, skeptical. Obviously, a little more had happened.
"No, I went back to talk to my mom. To try and get her to change her mind. Big mistake. I was there and A.J. showed up. He was beyond pissed when he saw me there. He was drunk and probably high. He, like, freaked out." Ryan paused, taking a deep breath. "He came at me. I don't remember much after that. I remember my mom screaming about something and then…darkness. And then I woke up…in an alley…and it was two days later." Ryan finished.
"Wow." Seth said, shocked at what Ryan had gone through. "I can't believe your mom would do that…" Seth trailed off, still stunned. He never would have believed such callousness existed, especially towards your own son.
"Yeah…" Marissa said, equally shocked and horrified.
"Well, it's done." Ryan forced a smile. "I'm okay, or at least I will be."
The rest of the ride was spent on frivolous conversation. They were all drained from hearing about Ryan's harrowing two weeks. Unfortunately, all three knew Ryan would have to go through it again for Seth's parents. None of them were looking forward to it.
****
"How does it feel to be back?" Seth asked, flopping on the bed.
"Uh, good." Ryan answered simply, still a little shocked that the Cohen's were not only taking him, but they wanted to be his guardians too. He'd agreed, of course. While he didn't look it, Ryan was excited. This was a chance for a whole new life, a chance to really start over and make something of himself. This kind of thing didn't even happen in the movies. Except Little Orphan Annie, that is. But that started out as a play. Broadway, right? Ryan shook himself out of his mental reverie. Seth was babbling on about how cool it was that he was living there permanently. And Ryan had to agree, it was very cool.
Seth smiled, he knew Ryan wasn't paying any attention to him, but he didn't care. Finally, an ally. Seth hadn't been this excited since…well, ever. His parents had reacted just as he thought they would. They were shocked, horrified, stunned, sickened, and a host of other adjectives….
*
"Mom! Dad! We're home!" Seth bellowed.
"Dude, can you be any louder?"
"I dunno, do you really want to find out?"
Ryan didn't get a chance to answer, both of the Cohen's came practically running out of the kitchen.
"Ryan!" They exclaimed at almost the same instant. Their stunned faces would have been comical in any other situation. Kirsten enveloped Ryan in a crushing embrace.
"Oh, my God! What happened? Are you alright? Who did this to you?" Kirsten managed to get it all out in one breath. Sandy wasn't far behind. "Where's your mother? Where have you been? Are you okay?"
Ryan held up his hands in surrender. "It looks worse than it feels, trust me."
"Sorry, Ryan, but that's not very comforting." Sandy stated. Ryan looked bad. Besides the atrocious bruise that dominated his face, he was gaunt and pale. His normally expressive crystal blue eyes had an empty, dead quality that to Sandy was the most worrisome.
Ryan just shrugged, there was nothing he could do about it.
"Oh, Ryan." Kirsten breathed. She released him but held onto his shoulders, looking him up and down. "I'm so glad you're back. We missed you around here, ya' know?" Kirsten forced a smile, her eyes glistening with tears. "Come on, let's go sit in the living room."
Sandy led the way, Kirsten not letting go of the troubled teen. They reached the living room, Ryan finally escaping Kirsten's grasp. He sat on the chair gently, his wince not escaping Sandy and Kirsten.
Ryan let out a deep breath.
"So…My mom's kind of…gone…again. And I don't think she'll be back. If you want to call Children Services I understand." Ryan stopped suddenly, not looking at the sympathetic faces of the family before him.
"Ryan, didn't Seth tell you? We'll call Children Services, but not to cut you loose. We all want you to be a part of this family. We want to be your guardians." Kirsten looked doubtful all of a sudden. "That is, if you want."
Ryan looked up, hearing the uncertainty in her voice. "Yes! Of course, I mean if you really want. I…yeah if you're sure." His own voice was uncertain.
Sandy spoke up. "Ryan, trust me on this: we're sure. And don't worry, there's nothing you could do beyond what you've already done to make us change our minds or kick you out." Sandy said, a slight smile on his face.
Ryan nodded. "Okay."
Seth was grinning madly. "This is awesome! Come on, Ryan, let's go talk about…stuff."
Ryan returned the smile. "Okay. Yeah…okay." Kirsten enveloped him in a bear hug. Sandy settled for a firm handshake. "Welcome to the family, Ryan."
*
"So, Ryan. What really happened?" Seth asked, eyeing him.
"What are you talking about?" Ryan answered, playing dumb. He should have known Seth wouldn't let it go.
"After your mom kicked you out. You said you stayed with some friends. And then what happened?"
"Seth, that is what happened. There's really nothing more to tell." Ryan looked away.
"Ah, see. I saw that. Come on, you can tell me. What happened? I know there was more. Is it Marissa? You know I won't say a word. Come on, man. We're family now. What happened?" Seth could see he'd made headway. Ryan looked at him out of the corner of his eye, conveying more with a look than anyone Seth had ever known.
"Okay, okay. Well, I left the house…"
****
Guess what? That's it for now. Stayed tuned to find out what really happened!
MacKynzie